[MN-at-Large] 2022 Kenneth Jernigan First Time National Convention Attendee Scholarship - Apply by April 15

[David Andrews]

>
>We are asking for your help to ensure everyone in your affiliate 
>knows about our program to support first time convention attendees.
>
>We are hoping you can share this with members in your affiliate to 
>encourage attendance at the convention and  share the 
>transformational experience of attending our Federation Family Reunion.
>
>Remember, the program is available to first time in person 
>convention attendees so individuals who may have attended our 
>virtual conventions in 2020 and 2021 are still eligible if they have 
>never attended an in-person convention.
>
>Additionally, please note that we will also need your 
>recommendation  letters for each Kenneth Jernigan applicant by that 
>April 15 deadline.
>
>
>
>We have included the article from the January 2022 Braille Monitor 
>which provides a description of the program and   the link to apply online.
>
>Please feel free to forward a message with these details to your 
>affiliate members.
>
>***
>
>The 2022 NFB National Convention is an experience you do not want to miss.
>Many of those who have attended our national NFB  conventions are 
>amazed at how meeting and interacting with over 3000  other blind 
>and low vision convention attendees has positively changed 
>their  lives. They not only learn how the problems of vision loss 
>can be overcome, but also experience the confidence that comes with solutions.
>
>If you have never attended an in-person  convention, the Kenneth 
>Jernigan Convention Scholarship program is designed to assist you in 
>attending the convention and getting the most from the experience.
> From the January 2022 Braille Monitor:
>
>
>Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship
>
>
>
>By Tracy Soforenko
>
>
>
>Have you always wanted to attend an NFB annual convention but have 
>not done so because of the lack of funds? The Kenneth Jernigan 
>Convention Scholarship Fund invites you to make an application for a 
>scholarship grant. Perhaps this July you too can be in the Marriott 
>New Orleans enjoying the many pleasures and learning opportunities 
>at the largest and most important yearly convention of blind people 
>in the world.
>
>The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an 
>NFB national convention are the roundtrip transportation, the hotel 
>room for a week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than 
>at home). We attempt to award additional funds to families, but, 
>whether a family or an individual is granted a scholarship, this 
>fund can only help; it won't pay all the costs. Most years, the 
>grants have been in the range of $400 to $500 per individual.
>
>We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention 
>mentor, someone who has been to many national conventions and is 
>able to share money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the 
>extensive agenda in the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the 
>most out of the amazing experience that is convention week.
>
>Who is eligible?
>
>Active NFB members blind or sighted who have not yet attended an 
>in-person NFB national convention because of lack of funding are 
>eligible to apply. If you have attended the 2020 or 2021 virtual 
>conventions but have never attended an in-person convention, you are 
>still eligible to apply.
>
>How do I apply for funding assistance?
>
>This year we will be accepting applications online. Since 
>applications must be completed in a single session online, we 
>strongly recommend you prepare your responses in a document, and 
>then cut and paste your responses into the application form. The 
>application form does not support complex formatting, so we 
>recommend avoiding formatting such as bullet points and fonts/styles.
>
>Effective January 1, 2022, the application form can be found at the 
>following link:
>
>
>
> 
><https://nfb.org/form/kenneth-jernigan-convention-scho?q=form%2Fkenneth-jernigan-convention-scho>https://nfb.org/form/kenneth-jernigan-convention-scho?q=form%2Fkenneth-jernigan-convention-scho
>
>The application will ask for the following information:
>    * Contact information: Include your full name and both your 
> primary phone where you can be contacted by your state president 
> and your mobile phone you might use at convention, if available.
>    * Please include your mailing address and, if you have one, your 
> email address. If you don't have an email address, please consider 
> if there is a friend or chapter member who might be able to assist 
> with email correspondence.
>    * State Affiliate/chapter information: Include your state 
> affiliate, your state president, chapter, and chapter president, if 
> you attend a chapter.
>    * Mentor information: Include your personal convention mentor 
> and provide that person's phone number.
>    * Funding request: Include your specific request and explain how 
> much money you need from this fund to make this trip possible for 
> you. We suggest you consult with other members to make a rough 
> budget for yourself.
>    * Essay questions to explain why this is a good investment for the NFB:
>    * How do you currently participate in the Federation?
>    * Why do you want to attend a national convention?
>    * What would you receive?
>    * What can you share or give?
>    * Any special circumstances you hope the committee will take 
> into consideration.
>
>If you cannot apply online, you can still apply by writing a letter 
>to your state affiliate president answering the above questions. 
>This letter should be emailed to your state affiliate president. 
>Once you have decided you will apply, please contact your state 
>president in person or by phone to request his or her help in 
>obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the state affiliate president 
>when to expect that your application will be submitted and mention 
>the deadline.
>
>Once your application has been submitted, your application will be 
>provided to your state president via email. It is still your 
>responsibility to contact your affiliate president. He or she must 
>email a president's recommendation directly to the Kenneth Jernigan 
>Convention Scholarship Fund Committee at 
><mailto:kjscholarships at nfb.org>kjscholarships at nfb.org. Your 
>president must email the recommendation no later than the deadline 
>of April 15, 2022. If you have applied outside of the online form, 
>the state affiliate president must email both the recommendation and 
>the application letter.
>
>Notification of Award
>
>If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a 
>letter with convention details that should answer most of your 
>questions. The committee makes every effort to notify winners by May 
>15, but you must do several things before that to be prepared to 
>attend if you are chosen:
>    * Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you 
> from attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may 
> arrange for roommates of your own to reduce the cost.)
>    * Register online for the entire convention, including the 
> banquet, by May 31.
>    * Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many 
> conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and mentor.
>    * If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did 
> not win a scholarship this year.
>
>Receiving the Award
>
>At the convention, you will be given a debit card or credit card 
>loaded with the amount of your award. The times and locations to 
>pick up your card will be listed in the letter we send you. The 
>committee is not able to provide funds before the convention, so 
>work with your chapter and state affiliate to assist you by 
>obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a scholarship, 
>and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or credit card.
>
>More Information
>
>For additional information, please contact the chairman of the 
>Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee, Tracy 
>Soforenko, at <mailto:kjscholarships at nfb.org>kjscholarships at nfb.org 
>or 410-659-9314, extension 2020.
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